Choi Min-jeong and Kim Gi-li, 'co-opted' are now meeting 'enemies'... "Short Track Finale" 1500m Competition [Milan Olympics]

*This content was translated by AI.

Choi Min-jeong (28), Kim Ki-li (22, Seongnam City Hall) and Noh Do-hee (31, Hwaseong City Hall), who combined for an impressive gold medal in the women's 3,000m short track relay at the 2026 Milan/Cortina D'Ampezzo Winter Olympics, will now become "competitors" who have to overcome each other.

They will embark on their journey to the individual medal from the women's 1500m quarterfinals of the competition, which will be held at the Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, at 4:15 a.m. on the 21st (Korea time). The semifinals are scheduled at 5:02 a.m. and the final (final) at 6 a.m. The women's 1,500-meter final is also the last event in short track speed skating in this competition.

Choi Min-jeong and Kim Ki-li, Noh Do-hee, teamed up with Shim Suk-hee (Seoul Metropolitan Government) in the women's 3,000m final held at the same place the previous day, reclaiming the second gold medal for the Korean team and the top of the event in eight years. After Choi Min-jeong went from third to second with the last four laps left, Kim Ki-li rose to first place with two laps left and was the first to cross the finish line. Two days after standing at the top of the podium together, they will now compete for medals in individual competitions with their respect and pride.

The most interesting thing is whether Choi Min-jeong, who is trying to win three consecutive short track individual competitions for the first time in history, will establish a "record." Choi Min-jeong won the women's 1,500m title at the 2018 PyeongChang competition and the 2022 Beijing competition. If he wins the gold medal in this competition, he will achieve the first short track individual event in the men's and women's three consecutive losses.

It's not just that. Choi Min-jeong previously set the record for the most gold medals (4 gold medals) in the Korean Winter Olympics and the most medals (4 gold medals, silver 2) in the East and Summer Olympics with the women's 3,000m relay gold medal. If a gold medal is added to this event, both categories will rise to first place alone, and the history of the Korean Olympics can be rewritten.

However, the momentum of the most likely competitor to overcome for the new history is very strong. "Lamborgili" Kim Ki-li. Prior to the women's 3,000-meter relay, she also won a bronze medal in the women's 1,000-meter event. He is the only player who has won the podium twice in the entire Korean team as well as short track speed skating.

Earlier in the women's 3,000m relay, Kim Ki-li was the final runner and beat Italian veteran Ariana Fontana with her unique explosive speed. He then shook off Fontana's pursuit, crossed the finish line first, and roared. Kim Ki-li's tremendous last-minute race led to an impressive gold medal. Driving the momentum, Kim Ki-li is looking at her third individual medal of the tournament and her second gold medal of the tournament.

Although it receives less attention than Choi Min-jeong and Kim Ki-li, Noh Do-hee, who previously helped as a confident member of the women's 3,000m relay gold medal, will also challenge a "surprise twist" in the last event of her first Olympic stage.

The prelude to the women's 1,500m quarterfinal in short track speed skating will be posted by Kim Ki-li. Kim Ki-li, who belongs to Group 1, will compete with Canadian veteran Kim Butang, Netherlands Michel Belzebourg, and China's Zhang Chutong for the semifinals. Choi Min-jeong was in Group 3, along with Italy's Ariana Siegel and Belgium's Tineke Den Dulk, and Noh Do-hee was in Group 6, along with Italian legend Fontana and Belgium's Haner Desmut. Earlier, Sports Illustrated, a U.S. sports media outlet, predicted Kim Ki-li as a candidate for the women's 1,500m short track gold medal in this competition, and Choi Min-jeong as a silver medal candidate, respectively.

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*This content was translated by AI.